An illustrated guide to Dia de los Muertos

The Day of the Dead, also known as Dia de los Muertos, is often confused with “Mexican Halloween” due to the use of skeletons and the timing of its celebration. This three-day Aztec festival held in late October, with its roots in southern Mexico, honors the memory of deceased family members, friends and even pets.

In late October, popular Day of the Dead symbols appear, including bright paper flowers and face painting. But do you know the different parts of the ofrenda, the traditional altar or the meaning of sugar skulls on Dia de los Muertos?

Day of the Dead is celebrated mainly in Mexico and Central America and has appeared in a few cities in the US. Read on to learn more about the traditions of this holiday:

Days of celebration of All Saints’ Day

The All Souls’ Day celebrations begin October 31st and will end on November 2. The combination of indigenous death cults and rituals with Catholicism brought it from Europe. The custom of inviting deceased loved ones into your home for a day is a way to honor their lives and accept what happens after death.

Ofrenda Traditions

Food, flowers and altars are essential elements of the celebration. To honor the memory of the deceased, foods such as sugar skulls, rolls and drinks, as well as clay decorations and sentimental items are placed on ofrendas, or home altars. Family members, whether in the cemetery itself or at the table at home, believe that their loved ones will feast on the “essence” of the delicacies they offer.

What do ofrenda offerings symbolize?

Where did the use of skeletons come from?

Skeletons are the most characteristic representations of All Souls’ Day. People today dress in ornate costumes with skull faces. A fun representation of life after death is a skeleton.

One of the many famous performances of All Souls’ Day, La Calavera Catrinameaning “elegant skull”, first appeared in 1910 as a skeletal figure dressed in elaborate clothing. In Mexico, a satirical artist Jose Guadalupe Posada she was the first to draw her character. It was intended to serve as a mocking reminder to those aspiring to social and political standing that all humans were, in fact, just bundles of bones.

Alebrijes: Even the dead need a spiritual guide

Pedro Linaresartist from Mexico, introduced this holiday to colorful, mythical creatures known as Alebrijes in 1936. With their exaggerated striped and polka dot bodies, they are considered creatures from our dreams and the realm of the dead. They are most often made of paper mache or wood.

The basic meaning of celebrating the Day of the Dead has not changed over thousands of years, despite evolving traditions. This holiday is an opportunity to honor and celebrate those who have passed from this life, while also presenting death as an inevitable part of life.

SOURCE DayofheDead.vacation/story, History.comUniversity of New Mexico, Britannica.com and the USA TODAY study